THE ANALYST. 363 NOTES OF THE MONTH. We quote the following from the Lancet ;- The Newport (Isle of Wigbt) Town Council having received a letter from the Local Government Board inquiring upon what grounds they had arrived a t the conclusion that there was no necessity for the appointment of a Public Analyst, decided that a reply be given to the effect that their conclusion was based on the fact that, as to prosecutions under the Adulteration of Food and Drugs Act, the law had been rendered inoperative by the judges, who had decided that adulteration was not to the prejudice of the purchaser, who purchased for the mere purpose of prosecuting the seller.We cannot help thinking that when the Local Government Board finds such an impression as this getting abroad among Town Councils-and it is by no means an unusual impression, even in places where an analyst has been appointed-it is time the President thought of preparing a Bill for next session to remedy this and other existing defects in the present Act.I n another coIumn will be found the report of a case heard before M i . Benson, at the Southwark Police Court, which strongly illustrates the perils to which the reputation of a Public Analyst is every day exposed by the fraudulent tampering with duplicate samples.Happily in this instance the fraudulent act recoiled upon the head of the offender, and the strict lesson read by the infliction of a fine of $10 may deter other tradesmen from trying the same game. Analysts must be careful to see that whenever a, tradesman’s sample is sent to Somerset House the inspector’s duplicate shall also invariably accompany it. The case is also satisfactory inasmuch as it is one of the first in which the analyst’s certificate has actually agreed with that of the Government chemists. Will Dr.Bernays kindly for the benefit of his confreres give us his figures, and those found by the Court of Appeal, so that we may publish both, and get to the bottom of the allowance €or decomposition in milk made by the latter ? No class of men could possibly have a greater interest in haring questions of disputed nomenclature authoritatively settled than Public Analysts, and with no section of traders does this seem mom difficult than with pharmacists.In that trade it is distinctly the interest of wholesome houses to perpetuate misnomers under the shadow of which they can vend inferior articles, and so appear to their customers as “cheap” houses.We have had at various times most acrimonious attacks made upon analysts who have, in the discharge of‘ their duty, been obliged to certify that ‘‘ sweet spirits of nitre ” contained no nitrous ether, because we are told that sweet spirits of nitre does not mean spiritus wtheris nitrosi B.P., as commonly supposed by medical men and the public.Another striking feature of a similar nature was milk of sulphur ” containing two- thirds of its weight of calcium sulphate and held by the trade, and even by some of those who from their position ought to teach the trade, to be quite a different article to the pure sulphur prec@itatum B.P., for which it is undoubtedly and unblushingly sold.Then again we have ‘( white precipitate,” of course hydrargyrum ammoniatzcm B.P. says the medical man who orders his patient to buy some and use it, but there he is wrong3’10 THE ANALYST. again, it is not that article but diarnmonium mercuric chloride, containing about one-half of the proper amount of its expensive ingredient, namely mercury.Descending from drugs to cosmetics sold by the same trade we do not even then escape this mass of mystifications, as we suddenly learn that (( violet powder,” supposed by all to be scented starch, is not so, but is powdered steatite, selenite, or any other cheap mineral the vendor chooses to put up in a packet, add a little perfume, and label it violet powder.” I n the face of all this, it is encouraging to find our favourite enemy, the Chemist and Druggist speaking out boldly for once, forgetting the delinquencies of analysts to urge on the mineral water trade the definite abandonment of the name soda water.It is well known that for years no mauufacturer has produced true soda water, but has simply bottled up water charged with carbonic acid, and sold it under that name.It appears that ten years ago before its vision was blinded by the analyst ” bogie, this really representative trade journal declared against the misnomer, and it now repeats its remarke. It gives an excellent suggestion that advertising makers of aerated water might even make popular capital out of the truth by selling “Blank’s pure super- carbonated water, guaranteed to contain no alkalies, but to be prepared from pure water and carbonic acid.” The truth is sure to prevail, and honesty is the best policy, and then ;f itpays as well, what a splendid thing it ought to be.But joking apart, Public Analysts should melcorne this suggestion, which if adopted, would free them from at least one source of periodical abuse.The loss of the Princess Alice has suggested to some persons that many of the unfortunate sufferers died poisoned by the foul water off Beckton, instead of by actual drowning. It is in the play of Faust, we think, that a certain eminent character, in answer to the hero’s remark made, after killing Valentine, to the effect that it was not duel, but murder, says, “ you make a delicate distinction where there is so little difference,” and it is to be feared that, pure or impure, the unfortunate persons died from imbibing water. However, even such melancholy events do good in calling attention to the state of the river, and the aaalyw8 ordered by the Woolwich Local Board will be perused with much interest by the public.I n reply to a query from a correspondent as to whether the use of alum in baking powder would render the manufacturer liable to any penalty under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, the Chemist and Druggist s a p :-“ It would be bold to say that analysts will not bring such a case forward, but with our present light we certainly see very little chance of a succesful prosecution in such an event.’’ It is to be hoped that makers of such compounds will soon obtain a little more light, because if a man be not directlyTHE ANALYST.371 punishable for putting into a substance t o be used for the making of bread, a chemical which is held to be an adulteration when found in that article, all we can say is, that law and justice would in this case be widely divorced. Certainly a baker who happeued to be fined through the use of such a powder would have his remedy against the manufacturer. The Chemist and Druggist had better order his cook to select an alumed powder for making all his household bread and pastry, and then after a year publish the result of its action on his alimentary organs.Not that for a moment we mean to suggest the following up of the dictum fiat experimenturn, &,, because that would be both rude and vulgar.We noticed the other day that an analyst of good repute had signed a letter as Y.Z., F.I.C. Now whatever meaning the gentleman referred t o may attach to these letters, it is only right to point out that they do not constitute a legalor even a recognised title, and that i f certificates so signed should unfortunately be produced in court, it would be found that the lawyers did not care a F I G for such a handle to a name, and would soon make its value like the Institute-‘‘ limited.” Patentees are suffering just now from one of the periodical attacks to which the This time it has taken the form of electric fever, and specifications are We class are subject. being filed for improvements in the electric light, at the rate of about one per day.fear a very small percentage will survive the payment of the $50 tax. It is, however, very satisfactory to know that official trials are to be made in London of this means of lighting, and that the Corporation, who generally take a bold course in such matters, have decided to try not only one, bnt several of the systems which have been proposed of late.Some of the open spaces in London streets will afford admirable opportunities for such experiments. The members of the Society of Public Analysts should pay special attention to the next meeting. Some important decisions must then be come to, as t o the representations to be made to Government on the alterations necessary in the Sale of Food and Drugs Act.It ie far too common to leave the executiye of a society to settle such matters and then undertake the work, but if public analysts are not sufficiently interested in the matter to point out defects which have been found in their own experience, they can scarcely ex- pect people to pay much attention to complaints after the event. ANALYST’S APPOINTMENT.-The appointment of an analyst for Dorsetshire, under the Food and Drugs Act, 1875, was, at the Quarter Sessions recently, the subject of some discussion ; Lord Portman presiding on the occasion, and Lord Shaftesbury being also present.The committee previously appointed to consider the qnestion reported that they had received an application from Mr. Comyns Leach, of Sturminster ; and they suggested that the borough authorities would do well to concur in the appointment of that gentleman.The chairman said the Local Government Board had intimated their approval of Mr. Comyns Leach’s appointment by the county, and it was agreed to communicate with the boroughs on the subject, so that at the next sessions the matter might be settled. The Synod of Salisbury diocese petitioned the Court to appoint an analyst in the interests of temperance, the adulteration of beer and spirits being “injurious to the health and well-being of the public.” The memorialists also represented tbat such adulteration was carried on t o no small extent.The memorial was laid on the table, and a laugh was caused by Lord Portman remarking that it so hnppeacd that water was specially exempted by the Act from anal ysie.372 THE ANALYST .RECENT CHENICAL PATENTS . The following specifications have been published during the past month. and can be -. obtained from the Great Seal Office. Cursitor Street. Chancery Lane. London . 1878 . N O . Name of Patentee . 804 P . S . Brown . . . . . . 816 J . Mactear . . . . . . 861 T . F . Scott . . . . . . 878 W . R .Lake . . . . . . 886 F . Werth . . . . . . 891 J . Birrow . . . . . . 904 S . H . Parkes . . . . . . 915 B . C . Spalding . . . . . . 921 T . Muir . . . . . . . . . 924 E . Hopcroft . . . . . 929 P . Dronier . . . . . . 934 J . B . Mackey & J . Sellers Title of Patent . ... Obtaining Sulphate of Ammonia from Ammoniacal Liquors Utilizing Lye Products of Soda and Potash Manufactures ...Apparatus for Producing Electric Light . . . . . . . . . ... ... Manufacture of Celluloid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Purifying Gum, Resinous Oils. &c . . . . . . . . . . ... Manufacturing dmmoniacal Salts . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Microscopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transmitting Power by Electric Currents . . . . . . . . . ... Treatment of Wheat in the Manufacture of Wheaten Semolina.Meal, and Flour . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Filtering Water and Purifying the Animal Charcoal ... ... Electric Lamp Lighting Apparatus . . . . . . . . . ... Soap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Prlce 6d. 4d. 2d. 1/0 4d. 4d. 2d. 6d. 4d. 6d. 2d. 2d. 945 C . B . Cooper & C . W . Sniith ... 955 G . W . Yon Mawrocki .. . . . . Soap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2d . Manufacture of Sulphur from Soda Residues. &c . . 4d . 1021 H . and C . H . Hills . . . . . . Treatment of Cupreous Pyrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1101 J. Moad . . . . . . . . . . . . Mdnufacture of Iron and Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1084 W . J . Blinkhorn . . . . . . Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid .. . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1112 T . J . Smith . . . . . . . . . Processes for Removing Moisture from Substances ... 6d . 1117 FV . L . Wise . . . . . . . . . Producing Dyes from Products of Madder and Tar ... 4d . 1129 A . Browne . . . . . . . . . Destroying Vegetable Matter or Burl contained in Dyed Animal Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1131 J . Holloway . .. . . . . . Producing Sulphur from Pyrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1156 W . L . Wise . . . . . . . . . Production of Sulphate of Ammonia from the Nitrogen of Marshy Moors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10d . 1148 W . E . Newton . . . . . . . . . Manufacturing Sulphocyanides and Ferrocyanides ... 6d . 1156 T . Greenwood & T . C . Redman ... Refrigerating Chambers for Preserving Meat .. . . . . 8d . 1186 C . N . May . . . . . . . . . Treating Oily and Fatty Matters . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . 1201 R . Messel . . . . . . . . . Production of Monohydrated Sulphuric Acid . . . . . . 2d . 1224 G . F . Redfern . . . . . . . . . Aqueous Solutions of Tannin or Tanning Ooze . . . . . . 4d . 1623 J . Pintsch & J . Schulke Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . 1706 H . Simon . . . . . . . . . Process and Apparatus for Developing Bromine . . . . . . 6d . 2069 R . S . Ripley . . . . . . . . . Manufacture of Gas for Heating, &c . . . . . . . . . . 66 . 2213 E . J Curbett . . . . . . . . Removing and Destroying Gases from Sewers . . . . . . 4d . 2217 W . R . Lake . . . . . . . . . Manufacture of Tablets, Cakes, or Blocks of Camphor ... 2d . 3109 S . Pitt . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaporating Saline Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . ... Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Lights by BOOES. &c., RECEIVED . The Chemist and Druggist; The Brewers’ Guardian; The British Medical Journal; The Medical Examiner; The Medical Times and Gazette; The Pharmaceutical Journal; The Sanitary Record; The Miller; The Anti-Adulteration Review ; Journal of Applied Science; The Boston Journal of Chemistry; The Dairyman; The hmericau Dairyman; The Practitioner.